This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on HighWire  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in JAMA  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

The Centers for Disease Control Veterans Health Studies

JAMA. 1988;260(9):1249-1254.

Abstract
This study investigates whether military records can be used to identify US Army Vietnam veterans who were likely to be exposed to the herbicide Agent Orange. Serum levels of 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD), a toxic contaminant in Agent Orange, were obtained for 646 ground combat troops who served in heavily sprayed areas of Vietnam and for 97 veterans who did not serve in Vietnam. The distributions of current TCDD levels in Vietnam and non-Vietnam veterans were nearly identical (mean in each group, 4 parts per trillion [ppt]). Only two men (both Vietnam veterans) had clearly elevated levels (>20 ppt). Levels of TCDD did not tend to increase with greater likelihood of exposure to Agent Orange, as estimated from either military records or self-reported exposure. This study is consistent with other studies and suggests that most US Army ground troops who served in Vietnam were not heavily exposed to TCDD, except perhaps men whose jobs involved handling herbicides.

(JAMA 1988;260:1249-1254)

Author Affiliations
From the Center for Environmental Health and Injury Control, Centers for Disease Control, Atlanta.

Footnotes
Reprint requests to Centers for Disease Control, 1600 Clifton Rd, C-25, Mailstop F-16, Atlanta, GA 30333 (John M. Karon, PhD).

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?

THIS ARTICLE HAS BEEN CITED BY OTHER ARTICLES

Depressive Symptoms, Race, and Glucose Concentrations: The role of cortisol as mediator
Boyle et al.
Diabetes Care 2007;30:2484-2488.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Association between Agent Orange and birth defects: systematic review and meta-analysis
Ngo et al.
Int J Epidemiol 2006;35:1220-1230.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

How Environmental Hazards in Childhood Have Been Discovered: Carcinogens, Teratogens, Neurotoxicants, and Others
Miller
Pediatrics 2004;113:945-951.
ABSTRACT | FULL TEXT  

Regulations and Advisories
Toxicol Ind Health 2000;16:173-201.
 

Effects of Agent Orange Exposure
JAMA 1995;273:1494-1494.
 

The Association of Selected Cancers With Service in the US Military in Vietnam: I. Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma
The Selected Cancers Cooperative Study Group
Arch Intern Med 1990;150:2473-2483.
ABSTRACT  

The Association of Selected Cancers With Service in the US Military in Vietnam: II. Soft-Tissue and Other Sarcomas
The Selected Cancers Cooperative Study Group
Arch Intern Med 1990;150:2485-2492.
ABSTRACT  

The Association of Selected Cancers With Service in the US Military in Vietnam: III. Hodgkin's Disease, Nasal Cancer, Nasopharyngeal Cancer, and Primary Liver Cancer The Selected Cancers Cooperative Study Group
Arch Intern Med 1990;150:2495-2505.
ABSTRACT  

Dioxin Levels in Vietnam Veterans
Rippee
JAMA 1989;261:2201-2201.
ABSTRACT  

Preliminary Report: 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin Exposure to Humans--Seveso, Italy
Arch Dermatol 1989;125:329-330.
ABSTRACT  

Preliminary Report: 2,3,7,8-Tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin Exposure to Humans--Seveso, Italy
JAMA 1989;261:831-832.